As an author of westerns, I figured I'd better put a bunch of interesting facts and fiction concerning the historical west on the web. This blog does that. It will include poetry, fiction, factual articles and links, and as much western color as I can muster. Have a fun read.

About Me

永年コピライターをしてから引退をしました。2005年にニュージーランドへ渡りヨットを自作。単独の世界一周に出港。難破。船を亡くしたが命が助かった。それから小説作家の道へ。現在では10冊目が売れ、11冊目に取りかかる所。頑張ります。
Although I write Western novels as Chuck Tyrell, I've been a magazine and newspaper journalist for more than 30 years. I'm interested in the effect sports have on the lives of physically challenged athletes (we call them paralympians) and have started a blog about them. I also have a blog in Japanese on the eternal enigma of learning English.

“I’m here to go with Matt Stryker to get Molly back for you.
If he’ll let me, that is. You can’t. Not right now. Molly deserves kin to get
her away from them Dents.” Carpenter stuck out a hand. “Dodge. I figure you’re
kin, too.”

In Westerns, you'll find that families mean a lot. How many Sackett novels did Louis L'Amour write? A bunch. And if you've taken the time to read my Pitchfork Justice book, you'd know how older brother Garet Havelock comes to help his younger brother Ness. At the end of Chapter 30:

"Wilson
did it," Gatlin said from the door. "He likes to hurt people. Makes
him feel good."

"What's
this about you killing Roland Prince," Garet demanded. He'd rode too long
as a lawman to let serious things like murder slide. So I told my story again.

"Hubbell,
you want to deputize me? I'd stand against those rowdies," Garet said. And
he would, too. He'd stopped a mob of miners cold in Vulture City when he was
marshal there.

"I'll
stand, too, Sheriff," Sid Lyle said from where he stood outside the door.
"And I got four good men. Ain't nobody gonna take Ness Havelock outta that
cell while we're here."

I grinned at
Sid as he walked in. "For a man who took a shot at me, you're all-fired
loyal, Sid."

He grinned
back. "Mistake," he said.

"All
right," Hubbell said. "Garet. Lyle. Raise your right hands."

And on, until Garet and the men who stand with him are able to keep the mob from lynching Ness. Now, we have family coming together to rescue Molly Miller, if there's anything left of her body and mind to rescue when the time comes.

Miller reached for Carpenter’s hand. “Dear God, it feels
good to have kin.” His eyes glittered with unshed tears.

Carpenter clapped his left hand over his handshake with
Miller. “Dodge, Matt Stryker’s about the best man you could have going after
your Molly. And I’ll be right with him. All the way, I’ll be there.”

“I thank you, Lige. I truly do.” He swiped at his eyes with
the heels of his hands. “And you, Matt, what takes you out after my Molly?”

“Men like the Dents don’t deserve to run wild, Dodge. I’ll
bring them in, like I said, and if they won’t come, I’ll bring them in anyway.
Belly down, if that’s how it’s got to be.”

Keeping his grip on Lige Carpenter’s hand, Miller stretched
his other one toward Stryker. “I’d have your hand on that,” he said.

Stryker gripped Miller’s hand.

“Kin and good friends. Sometimes that’s all that gets a man
through,” he said.

3 comments:

Funny you should mention the importance of family in westerns. I was working out a plot plan this morning (thanks to Nik Morton and you for both inspiring me) and included it strongly under theme, character, dramatic high points, additional conflict, what the character wants and final conflict. I think it's fair to say that family is very important in my story based on that, although as always, nothing will be straightforward for my poor old characters. :D